This invention relates to a cradle for receiving and supporting a portable device. Suitably, the portable device is an electronic device, such as a personal digital assistant or a radio telephone.
Cradles or docking stations are known for use with portable electronic devices such as cellular telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). In general, a cellular telephone cradle receives and supports a cellular telephone in a predetermined upright position. The telephone cradle typically includes charging contacts which electrically couple to corresponding contacts on the telephone for charging a battery of the telephone. A PDA cradle similarly receives and supports a personal digital assistant in a predetermined upright position. The PDA cradle typically includes a data connector which connects with an associated data connector on the PDA for the exchange of electronic information. PDAs are sometimes known as personal organisers.
Typically, the charging contacts and the data connector of a cradle become exposed when the portable electronic device is removed. In this situation, the contacts and the connector are prone to accidental damage which can render the cradle unusable.
FIG. 1 shows a known cradle 10 supporting a personal digital assistant 20. The PDA 20 may, for example, represent the Palm Pilot(trademark) TM PDA available from 3COM Inc., USA. Accordingly, the PDA cradle 10 may represent the corresponding docking station supplied with the Palm Pilot PDA.
The PDA 20 includes features that are common to most PDAs, such as touch screen display 21, a set of user operable keys 22, and a data connector 23 for accessing the central processing unit and memory contained within the housing of the PDA.
The cradle 10 includes a base portion 11 which is designed to sit on a flat surface. The cradle 10 receives and supports the PDA 20 in V-shaped valley which has two supporting surfaces 12 and 13. One supporting surface 12 supports the bottom end of the PDA 20, whilst the other supporting surface 12 supports the back of the PDA 20. The back supporting surface 13 is provided by a planar supporting element 14 which extends upwards at an angle from the base portion 11. The supporting element 14 is strengthened by a triangular strut 15 which joins the base portion 11 and the supporting element 14. The base portion 11, the supporting element 14, and the triangular strut 15 are formed from a single plastics moulding.
The cradle 10 also provides an data interface between the PDA 20 and a personal computer (not shown). The data interface comprises a data connector 16, a synchronising button 17, internal circuitry within the cradle 10, and a data cable 18. When the PDA 20 is placed on the cradle 10, the data connector 16 of the cradle connects to the data connector 23 of the PDA 20 so that electrical signals can be transferred therebetween. These electrical signals, which represent data, are also transferred over the internal circuitry and the data cable 18 to the personal computer (PC). From time-to-time, synchronisation of data between the PC and the PDA 20 can be initiated by a user depressing the synchronisation button 17.
When the PDA 20 is removed from the cradle 10, the data connector 16 is left exposed. There is a risk of damage to the data connector 16 when the cradle is in this exposed state.
The present invention provides a cradle with a movable back supporting element. The back supporting element extends in one position to support the back of a portable device when the device is received by the cradle. The cradle also includes a supporting region which supports the end of the portable device. When the portable device is not in the cradle, the supporting element can be moved to a position in which it covers the end supporting region.
A cradle in accordance with the invention has the advantage that it can be configured for receiving and supporting a portable device when the back supporting element is extended, and can provide a more compact configuration when the back supporting element covers the end supporting element. The compact configuration makes the cradle more portable for transporting by a user.
Ideally, the cradle is designed for receiving a portable electronic device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a radio telephone. Suitably, the cradle includes a connector on the end supporting region. Preferably, the cradle includes electrical contacts in the end supporting region for coupling to complementary electrical contacts on the portable electronic device when the device is received by the cradle. In an alternative embodiment the cradle could include optical coupling means for coupling to complementary optical coupling means on the portable electronic device. The optical coupling means could, for example, be an infra-red data interface. A cradle of this kind in accordance with the invention has the advantage that when the back-supporting element is moved to a position in which it covers the end-supporting region, the connector, implemented as electrical contacts, optical coupling means, or otherwise, is less exposed. Thus the connector is less likely to become damaged, particularly when it is transported by a user.
The extent and scope of the present invention is defined in the appended Claim to which reference should now be made.